{"product_id":"whats-a-snow-leopard-to-chen-fu-hsu-9781648212369","title":"What's a Snow Leopard to You?","description":"\u003cb\u003e*Winner of the 2021 Taiwan Literature Award*\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eA captivating fusion of travelogue, fiction, and cultural meditation that journeys deep into the heart of Tibet.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eChen-Fu Hsu's debut novel begins with a young Taiwanese naturalist on an arduous quest for the elusive snow leopard, weaving in excerpts from translated entries from a left behind diary of a fictional Japanese monk, which bears witness to the seismic transformations of Tibet across the decades under Chinese rule. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFollowing his deeply spiritual connection to Tibet, the protagonist sets off on multiple journeys to the region, describing in brilliant detail the vast beauty of the Tibetan plateau and the wildlife that has existed since time immemorial. However, on his third visit to the region, he is harassed at every turn by the Chinese police who confiscate his belongings, including his books, eventually forcing him to leave for Taiwan. One book overlooked by the Chinese police is the long-lost diary of Udagawa Ekai, a Zen monk who traveled to Lhasa in the postwar years. The diary tells the monk's story up until his death as a recluse, and paints a picture of a Tibet that has a diverse and deeply religious culture that has fought against invaders on multiple fronts. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHsu laces excerpts from Ekai's diary within his narrative, tracing the changes sparked from the horrors of the Chinese military annexation in the 1950s through the Cultural Revolution and into the contemporary age of forced economic development. Through encounters with the people of Tibet and their stories, \u003ci\u003eWhat's a Snow Leopard to You?\u003c\/i\u003e spans the divide between an intimate portrait of a land in flux and a philosophical inquiry into humanity's fraught yet enduring bond with nature. This richly layered work braids history with myth, environmentalism with art, and creates a single story of change in one of the world's most sparsely inhabited regions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Chen-Fu Hsu\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1648212360\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781648212369\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Arcade Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/22\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 312\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.89lbs","brand":"Chen-Fu Hsu","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48623600500991,"sku":"9781648212369","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_ff4a94b5-718a-4ada-b85e-aefca795de49.jpg?v=1780433488","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/whats-a-snow-leopard-to-chen-fu-hsu-9781648212369","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}